Catholicos Aram I Urges President Trump to Secure Release of Armenian Hostages and Artsakh Armenians’ Right of Return

OCP News Service – 08/02/2025

Beirut– Lebanon: His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, calls on President Trump to press for Azerbaijan’s release of Armenian hostages and the right Artsakh Armenians to return to their indigenous homeland.

On February 6, 2025, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I sent a letter to newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump, congratulating him on his return to the White House and urging him to take immediate action on pressing issues affecting the Armenian people, including the illegal detention of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan.

In the letter, Aram I called on President Trump to intervene and secure the immediate and unconditional release of Armenian hostages, including former presidents, prime ministers, and political leaders of Artsakh, who have been subjected to closed-door trials without due process.

He further urged Trump to reaffirm his pre-election stance on Artsakh, emphasizing the right of indigenous Armenians to return to their homeland with international security guarantees. Additionally, Aram I underscored the need for strong U.S. leadership in ensuring regional peace, stressing that Trump’s engagement on these issues would reinforce his role as a global peacemaker.

Aram I also highlighted the importance of U.S. advocacy in holding Azerbaijan accountable for its violations of international law, warning that continued inaction would embolden further aggression against Armenians. He emphasized that the release of prisoners and recognition of Artsakh Armenians’ rights are crucial steps toward a just and lasting peace.

To note, on November 1, 2024, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump called Catholicos Aram I, expressing his support for Artsakh’s Armenians, reiterating their right of return with security guarantees, and condemning Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing. In this latest letter, Aram I thanked Trump for his past commitments and urged his administration to act decisively on these critical issues.

Source:
OCP News Service